1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bat and its method of fabrication and more particularly pertains increasing the moment of inertia to weight ratio of bats for improved playing characteristics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are several techniques in the prior art for the construction of bats. Prior art bats have typically been constructed from wood, metal or a composite-type material. All such bats have a hitting region, a handle region, and a transition area intermediate the hitting and handle regions. Typically, the hitting area has an outer diameter which is substantially larger than either the handle or transition areas. Additionally, bats constructed from metal are typically formed with a hollow interior. Most metal bats are constructed by way of a swaging and/or drawing process. Such a process starts with a metal cylinder of a uniform diameter. The handle and transition areas are then worked until the appropriate diameters are achieved. The bats described herein can be made in accordance with co-pending application Ser. Nos. 08/669,072 or 08/595,535. Both of the above described manufacturing techniques have typically produced bats with moment of inertia (MOI) to weight ratios of between 290 to 340 oz-in2 for slow pitch softball bats, less for fast pitch softball bats when the MOI is measured about a reference point six inches from the end of the handle portion of the bat as described in the Standard Test Method for Measuring Bat Performance Factors, Revision 6.1 Proposed ASTM Method by Dr.
Brandt of NYU.
Typical bat constructions are illustrated in the following U.S. Patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,572 to MacKay, Jr. discloses a full barrel aluminum baseball bat and end cap construction. U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,055 to MacKay, Jr. discloses a ball bat with a concentrated weight load. U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,163 to Lanctot et al discloses a baseball bat with a tubular member positioned in the interior of the bat at substantially the handle portion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,453 to Douglas discloses a ball bat with an inward off-set center of gravity. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,746,117 and 4,834,370 to Noble each disclose a tubular bat with an optimized power zone. U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,330 to Worst discloses a baseball bat with an improved hitting surface and less mass. U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,316 to Wilson discloses a method of making a hollow metal bat with a uniform wall thickness. U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,130 to Scott, Jr. et al. discloses a ball bat system utilizing a hollow metal body and a swaging process. U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,196 to Heald, Jr. discloses a metal bat having a hollow metal casing formed from a tube. Lastly, foreign patent Japanese application Serial Number 4-271120 published Sep. 14, 1992 to Higuchi and assigned to Mizuno Corporation discloses a bat and forming method therefor.
As illustrated by the great number of patents as well as commercial game bats, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve the playing characteristics of such bats. Such efforts are made to render bats of ever increasing capabilities during play. None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial devices do not suggest the present inventive combination of methods steps and component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture and by employing only readily available materials.
Specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a bat with an increased moment of inertia to weight ratio. This improved ratio is achieved by producing a bat that is lighter than conventional bats without altering the bat""s moment of inertia. The improved ratio, and corresponding improved playing characteristics, can be achieved using many materials including aluminum, aluminum/composite, all composite, or other materials.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a lighter bat that allows for faster swing speeds and increased amounts of power delivered to the ball at impact.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved manufacturing techniques for the construction of bats.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide bats which are susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly are then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such bats economically available to the buying public.
In this respect, the game bat according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of increasing playing characteristics.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The invention is defined by the attached claims with the specific embodiments shown in the attached drawings. For the purposes of summarizing the present invention, the present invention essentially comprises a softball bat including a handle end having an opened first end, a second end and an intermediate extent therebetween. A knob is positioned over the first end of the handle to enable a player to swing the bat. A hitting portion is also included which is defined by a first end, an opened second end and an intermediate extent therebetween. An end cap is fitted into the opened second end of the hitting portion. The bat also includes a transition zone which has a first end continuous with the second end of the handle end and a second end continuous with the first end of the hitting portion. The handle end, hitting portion and transition zone are each constructed from aluminum. Furthermore, the handle, transition zone and hitting portion are each defined by a generally uniform wall thickness throughout. The wall thickness is selected such that an overall mass moment of inertia to weight ratio greater than 350 oz-in2 and a weight less than 28.5 ounces can be produced. Also included is the method of fabricating such bat.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention. The detailed description of the invention that follows is offered so that the present contribution to the art may be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter. These form the subject of the claims of the invention.
It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific embodiment may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent methods and structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.